Romantic comedy from Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters) starring Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman.
They play a couple who are trying to keep their relationship strictly physical, but it's not long before they learn that they want something more.
Natalie Portman once again demonstrates her versatility, following her electric turn as a disturbed prima ballerina in Black Swan. This time she has no trouble embracing her sexuality as Emma, a smart, independent doctor whose tryst with Ashton Kutcher’s Adam leads them into dangerous relationship territory, despite their best efforts to remain “friends with benefits”. Even Kutcher, who usually bumbles his way through rom-com roles as though he’s still on That '70s Show, is believable, if a little wimpy. Odd couple though they are, there’s enough chemistry here to make this work.
Kevin Kline as Adam’s past-it TV star dad and Greta Gerwig as Emma’s roommate also put in original comedic performances, skirting their way through dialogue which mostly succeeds but occasionally leans too heavily on the prurient and absurd in its quest to strike a flippantly funny tone. Although the mix-tape scene had most of the cinema snorting with laughter.
No Strings Attached is what you get when you throw an exceptional actress into the mix of an otherwise predictable, assembly-line comedy. Without its solid performances it’d be too easy to poke holes in its ridiculous plot: the one-morning-stand suggests there’s no such thing as foreplay, Emma’s desire for an older doctor working in her ward is left-field and confusing, and Adam’s almost-romance with a workmate fizzles into convenient obscurity. But this rom-com has a few more charms than most – and a few more laughs – mostly thanks to Portman.
By Rebecca Barry Hill, Flicks.co.nz
Great movie, even my husband liked it, lots of laughs, and serious bits too.
If Natalie Portman shows her versatility here compared with her performance in Black Swan, then Ashton Kutcher has done just the opposite by falling back into his typical useless-but-loveable character, pretty much identical to the character he played in What Happens in Vegas. There are entertaining scenes and nice banter between the two (mostly carried by Portman), however everything ties up just a little bit too neatly, and comes together a little bit forced. Alright if you like that kind of stuff, but not exactly a movie that's going to stay with you after you leave the cinema.
Judd Apatow-esque humour makes this rom-com ridiculawesome. It is worth seeing just for the scene where Ashton Kutcher's character Adam visits Natalie Portman's character Emma with a special mixtape and some cupcakes. I like the fact that Emma initially just wants to have sex, and resists the relationship with Adam that looms. It reverses a stereotype, allowing Natalie's character to be horny, unsentimental and flawed - moreoften the domain of the male lead in a rom-com. The scene where she demolishes a box of donuts is also quite hilarious - much needed after the rigours of filming Black Swan? This film is exactly what it sets out to be, with no pretensions or morality tale. I'm curious to see what Friends With Benefits (Justin Timberlake & Mila Kunis) will be like when it comes out soon.
I love this movie Its really hooking I really wanna see it again
This was the coolest movie I have ever seen I love the actor and it was so funny.
The movie is rated R, but it's the most watery R I've seen. It's more of a PG-13 playing dress-up.
Predictable, cutesy and nowhere near hot-blooded enough.
Not entirely terrible. That is high praise indeed, given that this is a film aspiring to match the achievement of "27 Dresses," "When in Rome" and "Leap Year."
As it is, No Strings Attached is content to be sweet rather than edgy, to make you go "awww" instead of "hmmm."
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Thursday, 10th Feb 2011.
Release date: February 10th 2011.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
